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Social Sciences
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Technology, Digital Transformation and Society
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Technology, Digital Transformation and Society

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2025) | Viewed by 33471

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Ina Kayser

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Business and Communication, IST University of Applied Sciences, 40233 Düsseldorf, Germany
Interests: technology acceptance; human-computer interaction; digital transformation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In today’s world, where digital technologies are integral to every aspect of our existence, the interplay of technology, digital transformation, and societal dynamics is critically important. This Special Issue titled “Technology, Digital Transformation and Society” aims to scrutinize the complex effects of digital evolution on societal frameworks, individual actions, and the worldwide community. Notably, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the societal matrix offers both groundbreaking prospects and novel challenges. This Special Issue is dedicated to examining the significant influence of digital technologies, including AI, on societal organization, ethical frameworks, individual conduct, and the collective human experience. As AI progresses, it is reshaping what we consider possible, enhancing decision-making, transforming industries, and even shifting the ways we interact and perceive cultural norms.

This Special Issue serves as a forum for multidisciplinary discussions on both the hurdles and prospects that digital transformation, particularly the surge in AI technologies, presents. We seek scholarly contributions that investigate how technological innovations like AI impact social fairness, privacy, ethics, and cultural dynamics. Furthermore, this Special Issue will explore how digital technologies can promote inclusion, sustainability, and adaptability in societies undergoing swift transformations and facing new uncertainties.

Through a mix of empirical studies, theoretical exploration, and case studies, this Special Issue will spotlight groundbreaking practices, implications for policy, and future trends at the intersection of technology, digital change, and societal dynamics. Submissions are welcomed from a diverse range of fields, such as sociology, information technology, political science, education, and cultural studies. Our goal is to foster a holistic understanding of this intricate and evolving domain, encouraging contributions that dissect and envision the role of technology in shaping society.

Prof. Dr. Ina Kayser
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • digital transformation
  • societal impact
  • artificial intelligence
  • social equity
  • privacy and ethics
  • cultural dynamics
  • inclusivity in digital age
  • sustainability and technology
  • policy implications
  • future directions

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 136 KB  
Editorial
Technology, Digital Transformation and Society: A Closing Editorial
by Ina Kayser
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(4), 251; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15040251 - 14 Apr 2026
Viewed by 188
Abstract
The digital transformation of contemporary societies raises fundamental questions for science and policy alike [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology, Digital Transformation and Society)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

23 pages, 362 KB  
Article
Conceptualising Digital Democracy—From Technocracy and Populism to a New Concept of Democratic Authority and Participation?
by Oliver Fernando Hidalgo
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(3), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15030175 - 9 Mar 2026
Viewed by 700
Abstract
According to the rather pessimistic diagnoses dominating in contemporary political research, the digitisation of information and the digital transformation of modern society tend to both a new form of (post-democratic) technocracy and a resurgence of populist democracy. These two main perils posed by [...] Read more.
According to the rather pessimistic diagnoses dominating in contemporary political research, the digitisation of information and the digital transformation of modern society tend to both a new form of (post-democratic) technocracy and a resurgence of populist democracy. These two main perils posed by the digital era can be confirmed by an in-depth theoretical approach eliciting that the practice of digital democracy generates a couple of threats that could eventually outweigh all available options offered by digital technologies in terms of facilitating democratic participation and deliberation. However, the focus on existing risks of digital democracy must not neglect the inherent opportunities. Hence, this article demonstrates how the corresponding debate benefits from an overarching theoretical foundation contributing equally to a systematic and well-balanced analysis. By applying the theory of democratic antinomies, it becomes possible to manage the difficult traverse between the requested openness to new technological developments and the indispensable defence of classic democratic principles. On this path, an adequate reflection on the conceptual change to which the notions of authority and participation are exposed in the age of digitalisation is crucial. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology, Digital Transformation and Society)
30 pages, 457 KB  
Article
Is Africa Ready for AI? Digital Information Privacy Awareness and AI Adoption on the Continent
by Njeri Chege
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(3), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15030155 - 1 Mar 2026
Viewed by 806
Abstract
Respect for privacy has been identified as a guiding principle for the development and use of responsible or ethical artificial intelligence (AI), but also as an endangered value in many countries, including those in Africa. Yet, on the African continent, awareness of personal [...] Read more.
Respect for privacy has been identified as a guiding principle for the development and use of responsible or ethical artificial intelligence (AI), but also as an endangered value in many countries, including those in Africa. Yet, on the African continent, awareness of personal information privacy remains in its early stages, and awareness-raising initiatives are still limited, fragmented, and non-governmental-driven. Given the current global and local enthusiasm surrounding the adoption and development of AI technologies, I examine the key interrelated factors driving the poor digital information privacy awareness and limited awareness-raising in African countries. Key factors include limited digital literacy; the widespread use and reliance on free and freemium services offered by global North digital technology multinationals; the lack of harmonized data protection legislation and regulation across the continent, which facilitates corporate neocolonialism; and the general apathy of many African governments towards privacy awareness-raising, given their own involvement in privacy-violating surveillance. Subsequently, I recommend strategic actions applicable to diverse stakeholders that could contribute towards reinforcing digital information privacy awareness, particularly within the context of the ongoing adoption and anticipated widespread use of AI technologies on the continent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology, Digital Transformation and Society)
25 pages, 987 KB  
Article
Making Digital Transformation Discussable: An Institutional Action Design Research Approach for Municipal Governance
by Marcel Patalon
Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(3), 149; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15030149 - 24 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 476
Abstract
Digital transformation in public administration is shaped not only by technology but also by institutional expectations, legitimacy concerns and uneven local capacities. However, existing qualitative instruments rarely support structured reflection on how these conditions influence digital change. This study develops a modular, theory-informed [...] Read more.
Digital transformation in public administration is shaped not only by technology but also by institutional expectations, legitimacy concerns and uneven local capacities. However, existing qualitative instruments rarely support structured reflection on how these conditions influence digital change. This study develops a modular, theory-informed focus group guide designed to help practitioners articulate institutional influences on municipal digital transformation. Using an Action Design Research framework, institutional concepts were embedded into the guide and iteratively refined across six focus groups with municipal actors. Through recursive Alpha and Beta cycles, the artifact evolved via authentic and concurrent evaluation, integrating practitioner feedback, visual scaffolds and accessible translations of theoretical constructs. Results show that the guide enabled participants to identify coercive, mimetic and normative pressures, surface assumptions across administrative roles and externalize institutional relationships. These patterns point to an institutionally dominant mode of artifact development in which interpretive engagement and legitimacy dynamics shape refinement. The study demonstrates that institutional theory can serve as a productive kernel for qualitative instrument design and offers transferable design principles for developing tools that support reflective, inclusive and socially aware digital transformation in public sector contexts. The resulting artifact, referred to as the Modular Institutional Instrument (MII), is made publicly available to support application in similar governance contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology, Digital Transformation and Society)
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12 pages, 222 KB  
Article
Game Changer: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Sport for Development
by Louis Moustakas
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(3), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030174 - 13 Mar 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2604
Abstract
Sport for Development (SFD) leverages sports as a tool to support broader sustainable development goals, particularly in underserved communities worldwide. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology advances, its application in SFD offers both promising opportunities and significant challenges in areas such as curriculum design, [...] Read more.
Sport for Development (SFD) leverages sports as a tool to support broader sustainable development goals, particularly in underserved communities worldwide. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology advances, its application in SFD offers both promising opportunities and significant challenges in areas such as curriculum design, evaluation, and participant engagement. Through a qualitative survey of experts and practitioners analysed through Thematic Analysis (TA), this paper explores perspectives on the potential of AI to enhance the delivery and management of SFD initiatives, as well as potential risks and needs in the field. Key perceived benefits include compensating for deficient organisational capacities and supporting the performance of both administrative and conceptual tasks. Potential risks include the propagation of increasingly generic approaches to SFD programming, loss of critical thinking skills, and concerns around participant safeguarding. To mediate this, exchange, education, and SFD-specific policies are seen as crucial. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology, Digital Transformation and Society)
19 pages, 1330 KB  
Article
From Traditional to Digital: Transforming Local Administrative Organization Workflows in Thailand Through Social Listening Tools
by Krisada Prachumrasee, Panpun Ronghanam, Kasipat Thonmanee, Pakpoom Phonsungnoen, Pathompohn Mangma, Prasongchai Setthasuravich and Grichawat Lowatcharin
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 666; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120666 - 11 Dec 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5055
Abstract
Digital transformation offers transformative potential for public service delivery, yet many local administrative organizations (LAOs) in Thailand struggle with integrating digital tools effectively into their workflows. This study investigates the integration of social listening tools (SLTs) to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of [...] Read more.
Digital transformation offers transformative potential for public service delivery, yet many local administrative organizations (LAOs) in Thailand struggle with integrating digital tools effectively into their workflows. This study investigates the integration of social listening tools (SLTs) to enhance the efficiency and responsiveness of public service delivery in Thailand’s LAOs. The primary goal is to redesign traditional, manual workflows through the development of a digital-by-design framework, addressing inefficiencies in public engagement and service provision. Employing a mixed-method approach, this research combines interviews and focus groups with municipal staff from four municipalities in Northeast Thailand to identify challenges and co-create solutions. The redesigned workflow integrates digital practices into existing organizational structures and achieves a significant 282% improvement in efficiency, measured in transactions per manpower-hour. Additionally, the new process enhances operational speed, responsiveness, and public engagement. To ensure sustainability, this study recommends a phased implementation strategy and consistent staff training. This research contributes to the public administration literature by providing a practical, scalable framework for digital transformation in local governance. It underscores the potential of SLTs to modernize public sector workflows, enabling more dynamic, responsive, and citizen-centric interactions between LAOs and the communities they serve. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology, Digital Transformation and Society)
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18 pages, 494 KB  
Article
Impact of Motivation Factors for Using Generative AI Services on Continuous Use Intention: Mediating Trust and Acceptance Attitude
by Sangbum Kang, Yongjoo Choi and Boyoung Kim
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(9), 475; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13090475 - 9 Sep 2024
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 14688
Abstract
This study aims to empirically analyze the relationship between the motivational factors of generative AI users and the intention to continue using the service. Accordingly, the motives of users who use generative AI services are defined as individual, social, and technical motivation factors. [...] Read more.
This study aims to empirically analyze the relationship between the motivational factors of generative AI users and the intention to continue using the service. Accordingly, the motives of users who use generative AI services are defined as individual, social, and technical motivation factors. This research verified the effect of these factors on intention to continue using the services and tested the meditating effect of trust and acceptance attitude. We tested this through verifying trust and acceptance attitudes. An online survey was conducted on language-based generative AI service users such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Bing, and Meta-Lama, and a structural equation analysis was conducted through a total of 356 surveys. As a result of the analysis, individual, social, and technical motivational factors all had a positive (+) effect on trust and acceptance attitude on the attitude toward accepting generative AI services. Among them, individual motivation such as self-efficacy, innovation orientation, and playful desire were found to have the greatest influence on the formation of the acceptance attitude. In addition, social factors were identified as the factors that have the greatest influence on trust in the use of generative AI services. When it comes to using generative AI, it was confirmed that social reputation or awareness directly affects the trust in usability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology, Digital Transformation and Society)
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Review

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20 pages, 793 KB  
Review
Building and Eroding the Citizen–State Relationship in the Era of Algorithmic Decision-Making: Towards a New Conceptual Model of Institutional Trust
by Jaana Parviainen, Anne Koski, Laura Eilola, Hannele Palukka, Paula Alanen and Camilla Lindholm
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(3), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14030178 - 17 Mar 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6372
Abstract
In liberal welfare states, algorithmic decision-making systems are being increasingly deployed, impacting the citizen–state relationship in a multitude of positive and negative ways. This theoretical paper aims to develop a novel conceptual model—the institutional trust model—to analyse how the implementation of automated systems [...] Read more.
In liberal welfare states, algorithmic decision-making systems are being increasingly deployed, impacting the citizen–state relationship in a multitude of positive and negative ways. This theoretical paper aims to develop a novel conceptual model—the institutional trust model—to analyse how the implementation of automated systems erodes or strengthens institutional trust between policymakers and citizens. In this approach, institutional trust does not simply mean public trust in institutions (though it is an important component of democratic societies); instead, it refers to the responsive interactions between governmental institutions and citizens. Currently, very little is known about policymakers’ trust or distrust in automated systems and how their trust or distrust in citizens is reflected in their interest in implementing these systems in public administration. By analysing a sample of recent studies on automated decision-making, we explored the potential of the institutional trust model to identify how the four dimensions of trust can be used to explore the responsive relationship between citizens and the state. This article contributes to the formulation of research questions on automated decision-making in the future, underlining that the impact of automated systems on the socio-economic rights of marginalised citizens in public services and the policymakers’ motivations to deploy automated systems have been overlooked. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology, Digital Transformation and Society)
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